Method for manufacturing thermoelectric materials

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a thermoelectric material having high thermoelectric conversion performance in a broad temperature range. The method for manufacturing a thermoelectric material according to the present disclosure includes forming a mixture by weighing Cu and Se based on the following chemical formula 1 and mixing the Cu and the Se, and forming a compound by thermally treating the mixture: <Chemical Formula 1> Cu x Se where 2<x≦2.6.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for manufacturing a thermoelectric material, comprising:
 forming a mixture by weighing Cu and Se based on the following chemical formula 1 and mixing the Cu and the Se; 
 forming a compound by thermally treating the mixture:
   Cu x Se  <Chemical Formula 1>
 
 
 where 2<x≦2.6; and 
 after the forming of the compound, sintering the compound under pressure, 
 wherein Cu-containing particles are formed at a grain boundary in a matrix including the Cu and the Se during the pressure sintering, the Cu-containing particles including nano-dots, 
 wherein the forming of the compound is performed by a solid state reaction method. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of manufacturing a thermoelectric material according to  claim 1 , wherein the forming of the compound is performed in a temperature range of 200° C. to 650° C. 
     
     
       3. The method for manufacturing a thermoelectric material according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressure sintering is performed by a hot press or spark plasma sintering technique. 
     
     
       4. The method for manufacturing a thermoelectric material according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressure sintering is performed under a pressure condition of 30 MPa to 200 MPa. 
     
     
       5. The method for manufacturing a thermoelectric material according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressure sintering comprises grinding the compound into powder and sintering under pressure. 
     
     
       6. The method for manufacturing a thermoelectric material according to  claim 1 , wherein the forming of the mixture comprises mixing Cu and Se in powder form. 
     
     
       7. The method for manufacturing a thermoelectric material according to  claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles include copper oxide. 
     
     
       8. The method for manufacturing a thermoelectric material according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric material has a ZT value greater than or equal to 0.3 over a temperature range of 100° C. to 600° C. 
     
     
       9. The method for manufacturing a thermoelectric material according to  claim 1 , wherein sintering the compound under pressure includes hot press sintering the compound under a vacuum condition. 
     
     
       10. The method for manufacturing a thermoelectric material according to  claim 9 , wherein the compound is hot press sintered at a temperature of 650° C.